Toxic tsunami kills everything on its path in the desert of Israel

Toxic wastewater that surged through a dry riverbed in southern Israel during the weekend left a wake of ecological destruction more than 20 km (12 miles) long.

The tsunami of acid most probably killed all the plants and animals in the valley and will trigger, on the long term, large functional ecological problems.

The flood began last Friday when the 60 meter (yard) high wall of a reservoir at a phosphate factory partially collapsed, letting loose 100,000 cubic meters (26.4 million gallons) of highly acidic wastewater in the Ashalim riverbed – enough fluid to fill 40 Olympic-sized pools.

The toxic torrent snaked through the desert, singeing anything in its path, before collecting again hours later in a pool several kilometers from the Dead Sea, already eaten by sinkholes.

Days later, the ground is still stained a dark brown and giving off a nauseating acidic stench, more potent than a highly chlorinated swimming pool.

The flood measuring the size of 40 Olympic swimming pools damaged wildlife in the area so badly experts think it could take years to recover

Israel’s Ministry of Environment has opened a criminal investigation into the plant’s owner, Rotem Amfert, and its parent company Israel Chemicals (ICL).

The environmental accident happened when a 60-metre-high wall of the reservoir partially fell at the phosphate factory partially crumbled.

“All the plants and animals in the valley during the tsunami of acid were probably highly damaged, probably dead,” said Oded Netzer, an ecologist for the ministry. “In the long term, there will be soil damage and large functional ecological problems.”

A collapsed wall of a reservoir holding a highly acidic wastewater is seen in Mishor Rotem, in Southern Israel July 4, 2017. The entire area has been left singed in a dark brown colour and the Phosphorus has left a sickening smell lingering over the area.

He said weeks of intense clean-up work, including pumping out small pools of the wastewater that remain along the path, lay ahead, and complete rehabilitation would likely take years.

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